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Most of the Georgian and Regency development took place in Newport and Ryde and their environs, where public buildings and fine residences were constructed to meet civic demands as well as those of wealthy visitors. In Newport Nash also turned his hand to the design of public buildings, including Newport’s Town Hall in 1813 and the Institute (now the County Club) five years later. In Ryde many fine villas were constructed such as Westmont, the residence of Dr Lind in 1821, which forms the centrepiece of the Ryde School complex, and others in the vicinity of Melville Street, George Street and Vernon Square. At Seaview the owner of the nearby saltworkings built one of the Island’s most elegant coastal residences, Seafield House, in 1815.


The Island’s largest private residence, Appuldurcombe House at Wroxall, had been designed for Sir Robert Worsley by John James, an associate of Christopher Wren, in 1772, lying


within a park designed by ‘Capability’ Brown. In the early nineteenth century the resorts of the south-east Wight had barely changed from tiny coastal fishing villages, and Ventnor was yet to develop. In the rural Wight the farming landscapes were overlooked by many fine, traditional stone manor houses built two centuries before on the profits from wool and corn.


The subject of Island architecture was explored as part of the ‘Down to the Coast’ project, which is being managed by the East Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. The programme included the project Fine Mansions & Fair Villas, which was led by Professor Robin McInnes with support from Island Heritage organisations and the Island Free School.


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‘Westmont House, Ryde’ the former residence of Dr Lind, was completed in 1821 and forms an elegant centrepiece for the Ryde School complex in Queen’s Road


September and October 2018 129


Above: ‘The Royal Hotel, Ventnor’ was constructed from 1830 and represented the start of a development boom for the town, which lasted until the early 20th century


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